Yeoksam-dong Serial Arsonist Opens Up About 'Motive'... Actions Four Days Prior

[Anchor]

The man in his 70s who set fire to two buildings in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, yesterday (October 20), injuring 19 people, has largely admitted to the crime during police questioning. The police, who have launched a joint on-site forensics inspection, plan to apply for an arrest warrant for the man today.

Reporter Cho Min-ki has the details.

[Reporter]

Due to the intense heat, exterior wall structures have broken off, and people escaping through windows and waiting to be rescued stand precariously with their backs against the building exterior.

Around lunchtime yesterday, fires broke out at two buildings in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, injuring a total of 19 people, including 5 who suffered serious injuries.

Mr. A, a man in his 70s who was emergency arrested on charges of setting the fires, is understood to have largely confessed to the crime during police questioning.

The police stated that during the first suspect interrogation last night, the suspect largely admitted to the criminal acts.

Investigations showed that Mr. A pre-planned the crime by purchasing a plastic container, a lighter, and flammable materials near his residence on October 16, four days before the crime.

It was confirmed that he stated his motive for the crime was to scare them and let the world know about the incident, believing that the two patent law firms located in the buildings where the fires broke out had defrauded him by issuing fake patent registration certificates.

Mr. A has a past record of being arrested and detained on charges of preparation for arson four years ago when he attempted to set fire to the same patent law firms.

[Mr. A : (Did you have bad feelings toward the patent law firm?) I filed a patent back in 2000, but they swindled me. Look at this, look here. Please take a picture of this. This is evidence.]

Following the first inspection yesterday, the police conducting a second joint on-site forensics inspection this morning plan to apply for an arrest warrant for Mr. A on charges of arson resulting in injury to inhabited structures after conducting additional questioning.

(Video by Kim Han-gyeol | Video Editing by Yoon Tae-ho)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.